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Key dates over March 1917

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Lives lost on this day: 4

15th March 1917 - Tsar Nicholas II abdicates as ruler of Russia. The Provisional Government assumes power.

Rolling casualty count: 5679

War Front: 1st Batt: Batt went to camp at Curfu.

2nd Batt: A Court-martial on Lance-Corporal Austing was held at Brigade HQ.

2/8th Batt: Conditions very muddy and there was little shelling. Patrols found the

Line held.

Home Front: To the Editor: Bransford Bridge: Dear Sir,- Lest some of your readers may think the owners of the private bridge over the Teme at Bransford blameworthy in not mending the rails broken by the motor van in falling over them, by reason of an accident in steering, some weeks ago, may I put to them this question? If the motor van had smashed into the plate-glass windows of a shop, through some accident in the steering gear, would not the shopkeeper have claimed compensation for damages to his shop front? I do the same thing, and they who broke it want the bridge made wider for motor traffic! These people should have told the original builders. They will say they could not. Neither can I help it that the bridge is not wide enough for present day motor traffic. But if made ever so wide, nothing could prevent a motor skidding against the parapet and no wall could resist the impact. The rails were in no way “defective” on the bridge. R.C. Berkeley, Cotheridge Court.

City Police Court: A Humerous Prisoner: Edward Hay McKenzie Elliott, “Springfield”, Hereford, was summoned for being drunk. When asked whether he was guilty or not, prisoner said “Which ever you like.” The Clerk: “You had better plead not guilty.” Inspector Mound said that prisoner went into the Shakespeare Hotel, and sat down. The Manageress went upstairs and prisoner went into the bar. He was drunk, but there was no liquor in front of him. He got up to leave the hotel, but fell down. The Manageress and the barmaid at the hotel also gave evidence, and both agreed that prisoner had no liquor at the hotel. Prisoner was asked if he had anything to say and replied, “No, I don’t want anything.” The Bench said that it would be no use fining prisoner “s. 6d., which would keep an ordinary man sober for a day, so he would be fined the maximum amount, 10s. Prisoner: “I leave it entirely in the hands of the Bench.”

Potato Peeling Economy: Mr. Arthur Pearce, of the J.P. Restaurants Ltd., forwards the result of a test in which two lots of 3lb of potatoes, nine in each case, were steamed. The first were peeled after and the second before being cooked:

Raw weight After peeling

3lb 2lb 12oz.

3lb 2lb 6oz.

The adoption of this method of peeling, Mr. Pearce says, would be equivalent to one potato-less day in seven.

Officer Killed: Captain Roland P. Birtles, of the Worcestershires, killed in action, received his commission in the Worcestershires early in 1915. He was a son of Mrs. Birtles, of Surbiton, and nephew of Mr. Frank Richardson, Chief Constable of Herefored, and of Miss Birtles, of Falkner Street, Gloucester. His grandfather, an art schoolmaster, was a native of Gloucester.

Norwegian Airman to become British: The “Dagblad” states that Lieut. Gron, who was ordered to resign the Norwegian Flying Corps for appearing in uniform in a foreign country, will probably become a British subject, and join the British Flying Corps. – Reuter.

Information researched by The Worcestershire World War 100 team